Improvement in railroad-switches



B. JQSTUKENBORG & J. BELL Railroad-Switch.

"No, 196,263. Patented Oct. f6, 1877'.

NPEYERS, FHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON, D. C

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN J. STUKENBORG AND JOSEPH BELL, OF CINCINNATI, OI-IIO.

IM PROVEM ENT IN RAI LROAD-SWITCHES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 196,263, dated October 16, 1877; application filed March 19, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, BENJAMIN J SrUKEN- BORG and JOSEPH BELL, both of Cincinnati,

V Hamilton county,- State of Ohio, have invented reaches the switch-point.

Our invention consists, in the first part, in the provision, in connection with the switchrail to be moved, of two tilting plates located outside of the track, one on each side thereof, so connected with the switch-rail that, when one of the plates is depressed, the switch-rail is moved in one direction and the opposite plateelevated, ready to be depressed to return the switch to its first position, the device being so operated that the weight of one animal only is used to move the switch, and the other confined to the space between the rails, where he is prevented from interfering with the movement of either plate.

Our invention consists, in the second part, in a new and improved device for connecting the tilting-plates with the switch-plate, which avoids the necessity of deep excavations for the attachments imder the rail-bed.

Our invention consists, in the third part, in a peculiar device for attaching the tiltingplates to therail-bed so as to permit of convenient removability of said plates for inspection of mechanism, repairs, 8:0:

Our invention consists, in the fourth part, in the provision of a gas-jet in the pits, to prevent freezing of the operating mechanism located therein and thereon.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a main street-car track and a diverging track embracing our improved switch, the figure showing one of the tilting plates removed. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the plate shown to be removed in Fig. 1.

A is the main or direct line track, and B the track diverging therefrom. D is the switchrail, located to travel in rail-bed G. We provide, outside of the track, two pits, E E, properly lined with metal, and upon these metal walls of the pit, adjoining the rails, we form bearings c c c,to receive the trunnionsfflj of the tilting plates F F. On each side of the central trunnion f we form projections g g, having ears or lugs g", which, when the plates are horizontal, engage underthe concentric exterior of the bearing f, so as to prevent its being lifted up bodily or lifted up at all on the hinge side until the other side has been elevated considerably, so as to disengage the ears 9. The plates are put into place'by dropping them edgewise into the bearings, and allowing them to swing to the horizontal position for use. When either of them is fully depressed its swinging edge rests upon the fixed stops a, and the opposite plate is elevated a short distance above the stops. A shaft, H, extends from side to side of the track, and rests in bearings in the walls of the pits. Each end of the shaft is fitted with a lever, I, having an anti-friction roller at the end. These levers extend from theshaft anglewise, in opposite directions from a vertical line, and the rollers of both are brought in contact with bearing-surfacesj" on the under side of the tilting plates F F consequently, the forcible depression of either one of the two plates causes a corresponding elevation of the other, and the oscillatory movement of this shaft H is utilized in producing the necessary movement of the switch-rail by the following means To the shaft H, at one end only, we secure an upright arm, J, and couple its upper end to a horizontal link, K, whose other end isj ointedto one of the arms of a bell-crank, L, the other arm being linked to a pin, k, on the under side of the switch-rail, which passes through a slot, I), in the rail-bed. At each side of the switchrail we cut channels 0 in the rail-bed, to permit the switch-rail, in moving backward and forward, to force whatever dirt or snow may collect between. it and the fixed rails into the pit E. The channels being in the sides only, the rail-bed is preserved under the switchrail to properly support it.

' To facilitate the removal of the plates F-F, we provide each with two staples, d, whose inner ends are bent to prevent the removal of them from the plates. The shanks of the stai f c s; 1'? are inovingthe switch 7 ing of expense. a V

i :ing in the gas E, V V Z prevent the freezing of water arci nnl their l 7 :ed and; the heat communicated will 7 V V In'plaoe of the semrrotating shaft H, we 7 Z V I tendjtoieinployfln some cases,a sliclingbar r a modification thereof, extending across the 1 pl es are long enoughto permitthe staples: to; l V be lifted up, :soas' toforni looporbale above ith pla es 1 :2 V r i When not wanted as ,7 handles or bales they a 5 i 2 ml level w th; the; plate; 7 i Theibearing-sue detachable, so? that they can be backed by liners totalce up wear. Z V i i r 1 vith drainage; is; avoided, lies The advantage of tilting' plates l I 1 s t e n ts di th t ck; and m sire; a is apparent, as they can, in the'first place ,ibe' l removed while the cars are runningfor inspec- 1 tion, and theyavoid; the: central plate hereto 7 1 fore V customary, on which it is difficult to so: i

' the necessary 7 W 5 th orsesas to I :ierfo swun o n the fonts iofgtlie cit; depresses; re t squ e 7 other; horse being between the:

In. cold weather, gas-j ets Pinaybe kept burn-Z 'eeping; the EVitfihfail free of ice:

rail-bed, to which bar the switch-rail pin 70 is connected through slot I), the tilting plates bein gprovided with inclines, or equivalent, to force the bar over backward and forward by the alternate tilting of the plat-es; and we wish to be understood that this cross bar or shaft is not only applicable to switches having a tilting plate on each side of the track, but is conveniently applicable to switches moved by one a se V barito me V V iUnlari the: slot 1), at one side,the dirt fans 5 Z i I 2 i f i Z By reason 0fl3l1BiPIOViSl011 of the cross-shaft 1 7 7H, we are enabled 5 to employmeehanisin for; l, whichneeds; but shal- V low QXaXflitiOll$ E inider the rail bed, and r the danger; of striking streetjwatergpipes, and; having in of the sides or" the pits, or fillingup les the; lessen: i

into the pit I) is surrounded l removable; 1 V r i We claim itiliinplates I conneeted'operatr elyther' to, and ecated on the outside of 5 stantiall 9 I tilting'plates l V F, the Z horizontal osciillati sh lavln'g'i operating-levers I, an d con Vneoted: to switch-rail through pitnia and bell crank connection, substantially as and for the pnrposespecified, V i V j V V In combination 'with metal? linefdj secured:

theifermer, and the v if! specified; r I r I V '4. in an automatic swit eh,substantiall y such for warming the parts in cold weather, to prevent the formation of ice thereon.

In testimony of which invention we hereunto set our hands.

BENJAMIN J. STUKENBORG. JOSEPH BELL. Witnesses:

JOHN E. J ONES, J. L. WARTMANN.

I thetrank, ias thje; j down: at oneside of its I lliYOfi wi l; elevate: the other side, and cause the i i 7 switch ever; to be returned in l V :the sani'e waywhen the otherside ofi the plate i iiis removable, so as to permit 7 V of 'eleann g out when a511, the removal of the I Z Z ibox at: the same time serving to expose the i Q 7 V V Srace iuinder the slet, so 2 that: it e'an also be 7 r r f cleaned thoroughly, and a similar box, N, is; Z V i i V 7 attached under the innerone of the channels 5 50, which conducts the dirt into the pit r I V rlhe'shaft or bar H which crosses theftraek; V Z V V V Z r V r z a box, 0, whose cover it is V i 1.: in combination Ewitli the switch rail D, the 7 Q r V the traek ,s1ib. V V V d 5 thep rpose speo' fiedg I j j 1 r r 'eombilmtloilii with switch-rail D and s E: l Eand tilting plates F F, the hearings e e r emi ioi i fi f andietainingfhigsg'g 51, secured upon: ainter, substantially as and for the {purpose as described, the gasj et 1, arranged in the pit 

